Ram rolls out the EcoDiesel

Mon, 2013-07-01 08:21

This past weekend marked the official rollout of the “EcoDiesel” 3.0-liter small-displacement engine for the half-ton line of pickups built by Ram Trucks – rollout that’s been in the works since Februarythis year.

The EcoDiesel will be mated with the 2014 Ram 1500 model pickup, which starts with a base manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of$24,200, plus $1,095 destination charge. Ram noted, though, that the EcoDiesel engine option adds $2,850 to that base cost, compared to a 1500 model spec’d with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine.

Ram Trucks – a division of Chrysler – added that the new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel is a turbocharged 60-degree dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 24-valve V-6 engine that produces 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque and will be mated to Ram’s TorqueFlite 8 eight-speed automatic transmission.

[The Fast Lane produced a nice video overview of the EcoDiesel rollout this past weekend, which you can view below.]

Developed and manufactured by VM Motor – a Chrysler supplier since 1992 – the EcoDiesel comes equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst, diesel particulate filter, and selective catalytic reduction, making it emission-compliant in all 50 states.

It will be interesting to see what kind of acceptance the EcoDiesel gets among work truck owners.